In Photos: WWII Ship Discovered 77 Years After It Sank

By Kacey Deamer, Staff Writer |
June 6, 2017 03:33pm ET

MORE

WWII destroyer

Credit: R/V Petrel

The wreck of an Italian naval ship has been discovered nearly 77 years after it sank during World War II. The naval destroyer IT Artigliere was found more than 12,000 feet (3,700 meters) underwater in the Mediterranean Sea.

Sunk in battle

Credit: R/V Petrel

The IT Artigliere was damaged during the 1940 Battle of Cape Passero, a WWII sea battle between the British Navy and the Italian Royal Navy (known as the Regina Marina). According to historians, the IT Artigliere's commander and most of its crew were killed when the ship sank.

In good condition

Credit: R/V Petrel

The R/V Petrel found the shipwreck in "amazingly good condition," according to David Reams, senior director for Paul Allen's maritime operations. The IT Artigliere was upright, and had experienced little corrosion or encrustation thanks to the cold, deep waters.

Letters on the hull

Credit: R/V Petrel

A remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) from the R/V Petrel captured images of the wreck, which showed the letters "AR" on the hull. This documentation, along with the location of the wreck, enabled Italian naval authorities to confirm the sunken destroyer's identity.

Protecting the war grave

Credit: R/V Petrel

The war grave of the IT Artigliere was left undisturbed, according to the R/V Petrel team. In respect of the ship's crew and surviving family members, the Italian government will not publically reveal the precise location of the IT Artigliere.

R/V Petrel

Credit: R/V Petrel

The R/V Petrel uses underwater technology for a host of missions, ranging from locating shipwrecks to exploring ocean ecosystems, according to Vulcan researchers. For example, an August 2015 mission included the retrieval of the historic bell from the HMS Hood wreckage in the North Atlantic. The bell was presented to the British Navy as a memorial for the lives lost.

Wrecks from other battles

Credit: Paul Allen

Another discovery made by the R/V Petrel was the wreck of the Japanese battleship Musashi. In March 2015, the legendary battleship was found off the coast of the Philippines. One of the biggest battleships ever built, the Musashi carried six to seven float planes that launched from a catapult system.

Musashi underwater tour

Credit: Paul Allen

The R/V Petrel team also provided an underwater tour of the sunken Musashi. One feature included this wheel, which was on a valve that would have been from a lower engineering area.

Kacey Deamer is a journalist for Live Science, covering planet earth and innovation. She has previously reported for Mother Jones, the Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press, Neon Tommy and more. After completing her undergraduate degree in journalism and environmental studies at Ithaca College, Kacey pursued her master's in Specialized Journalism: Climate Change at USC Annenberg. Follow Kacey on Twitter.

Kacey Deamer, Staff Writer
on

previous | next

WWII destroyer

Credit: R/V Petrel

The wreck of an Italian naval ship has been discovered nearly 77 years after it sank during World War II. The naval destroyer IT Artigliere was found more than 12,000 feet (3,700 meters) underwater in the Mediterranean Sea.

Sunk in battle

Credit: R/V Petrel

The IT Artigliere was damaged during the 1940 Battle of Cape Passero, a WWII sea battle between the British Navy and the Italian Royal Navy (known as the Regina Marina). According to historians, the IT Artigliere's commander and most of its crew were killed when the ship sank.

In good condition

Credit: R/V Petrel

The R/V Petrel found the shipwreck in "amazingly good condition," according to David Reams, senior director for Paul Allen's maritime operations. The IT Artigliere was upright, and had experienced little corrosion or encrustation thanks to the cold, deep waters.

Letters on the hull

Credit: R/V Petrel

A remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) from the R/V Petrel captured images of the wreck, which showed the letters "AR" on the hull. This documentation, along with the location of the wreck, enabled Italian naval authorities to confirm the sunken destroyer's identity.

Protecting the war grave

Credit: R/V Petrel

The war grave of the IT Artigliere was left undisturbed, according to the R/V Petrel team. In respect of the ship's crew and surviving family members, the Italian government will not publically reveal the precise location of the IT Artigliere.

R/V Petrel

Credit: R/V Petrel

The R/V Petrel uses underwater technology for a host of missions, ranging from locating shipwrecks to exploring ocean ecosystems, according to Vulcan researchers. For example, an August 2015 mission included the retrieval of the historic bell from the HMS Hood wreckage in the North Atlantic. The bell was presented to the British Navy as a memorial for the lives lost.

Wrecks from other battles

Credit: Paul Allen

Another discovery made by the R/V Petrel was the wreck of the Japanese battleship Musashi. In March 2015, the legendary battleship was found off the coast of the Philippines. One of the biggest battleships ever built, the Musashi carried six to seven float planes that launched from a catapult system.

Musashi underwater tour

Credit: Paul Allen

The R/V Petrel team also provided an underwater tour of the sunken Musashi. One feature included this wheel, which was on a valve that would have been from a lower engineering area.